


Sakura Trees

by sasugay



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Drabble, F/F, Fluff, Love, Oneshot, Romance, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:56:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29904210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasugay/pseuds/sasugay
Summary: Ino's always loved Sakura trees.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Sakura Trees

**Author's Note:**

> I was writing a collection of oneshots and drabbles, but I gave up on that and decided to post them individually. So... here you go :)

Sakura trees have always brought a smile to Ino's face... even when Sakura didn't.

Sakura trees. They made her happy, because Sakura did.

Sakura made her happy, but growing up, their relationship didn't.

They were both competitive and standoffish with each other, love and gentleness hidden beneath brash behavior.

They both liked Sasuke and they both liked each other, though their feelings for each other were more complex and less socially acceptable.

For Ino, she was attracted to Sasuke, although passingly. She thought he was cute, attractive in the way that would leave a blush on her face long after he left. But, that's all it was—as much as she would've enjoyed his kisses, even her childish naivete didn't shield her from the darkness they all knew lurked beneath Sasuke’s outer layer.

Attraction, that's all it was. Ino thought maybe it was the same for Sakura, just expressed in a different way. Or maybe it was more. She didn't understand how it couldn't have been, when Sakura’s obsession consumed her so completely she couldn't recognize the things they all saw, the pain he felt and the pain he caused.

Even after they got together, they never broached the subject of Sasuke. Ino and Sakura were happy together, living together, laughing together, loving together. 

Sasuke's apology was heartfelt, he approached her himself and spoke with conviction. Sakura had cried, but this time they were tears of happiness. 

Sakura was happy, she was healing but, she was hurt.

They all suffered injuries after the war, as varied as they may be. Sakura's was the crack in her rose-colored glasses, the damage to her pride and sense of self and the breaking of her world. 

Now, a year later, Sakura was better, but Ino still saw the sadness that dimmed her emerald eyes of their light.

It reminded Ino of when she was grieving her dad, but it was far from the same.

Sakura grieves her ignorance, to the same extent she's glad she's overcome it. She saw both what she wanted and what she could: Of Sasuke, her team, her treatment of Naruto, her village and its supposed innocence. 

Sakura is far from innocent and selfless. Her mistakes are many, as are the mistakes of all of us, but she's managed to grow from them.

They've grown together, Ino in her skill and self-esteem and Sakura in her amends and confidence.

Sakura is a tree, the same as her namesake. Sturdy, strong, boisterous and unable to be hidden, giving, taking, waiting. Supporting and caring for Ino. Like the flowers she reminds me of, she will always bloom, and like the tree she is, she will always grow.

That, Ino had never doubted-- but for hindering that growth, she didn't know if she could ever forgive Sasuke.

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to develop the female characters in Naruto better than they were portrayed in canon, so this is one of my first attempts at that.


End file.
